With a clear day in our diaries we headed across the Yorkshire border into County Durham for a day in and around Barnard Castle.
Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle is a lovely market town on the banks of the River Tees easily accessible from the A66. Home to the Bowes Museum, Castle, King’s Head where Charles Dickens researched Nicholas Nickleby, an 18th century Market Cross and beautiful riverside walks. The town is heralded as a historic must-see European market town in the Durham Dales by Barnard Castle Visitors Guide.
Our first stop was Barnard Castle itself, located high above the River Tees and
slightly hidden by shop fronts on Horse Market. Founded in the 12th Century by it’s namesake Bernard de Balliol and passed through the hands of Richard III. The Castle is currently managed by English Heritage. Barnard Castle commands great views of the River Tees, has peaceful sensory gardens and fantastic ruins. It is a large site with many historic features popping up along the way. Wandering around Castle you get a true sense of how people lived here in the past and how the site has developed over time. Watch out for rabbits, bees, birds and butterflies as you explore, the castle is a wildlife haven. We were lucky enough to spot a Jay flying above the crags overlooking the river. I would recommend a couple of hours to explore all of the Castle grounds.
Number 8 The Bank
For lunch we walked down Horse Market, past the Market Cross to the top of The Bank. Here we found Number 8 The Bank. A quirky deceptively sizeable 
tea room with a little bit of seating on the pavement. The bell jangled as we opened the door and received a very warm welcome. We were offered a seat in either a room to the left or right. Each room was quaint and quirky so after a quick deliberation we chose left! There were about 4-5 tables in this room but in here we had a view of the counter, espresso machine and some amazing looking cakes. The menu is simple but hits the spot for lunch – sandwiches, wraps, pannini, jacket potatoes & a few main meals.
I chose a Jacket Potato with cheese and my husband ordered a Chicken & Bacon Pannini. We didn’t wait for very long before our food arrived and what a fab lunch. Delicious food, presented beautifully and very fresh. I had been eyeing up the cakes which were adorning the shelves around our room but I was full. Not a bad fault, and a great excuse to have to return another day. It is even worth a trip to the loo as it is located in a old vaulted ceiling room with a rustic tiled floor. The quirky theme continued in the ladies! We will be back to try the cakes…
Around Barnard Castle
Egglestone Abbey
Just a couple of miles south of Barnard Castle just off the B6277 is Egglestone Abbey. These are ruins of a Premonstratensian monastery, which includes a
13th century church and living quarters. The site is owned by English Heritage but is free to look around and explore. There is a little car park next to the ruins but if it’s full there is plenty of space to park in the lane and walk to the Abbey. It’s a great place for a family picnic and a walk along the banks of the River Tees.
Bowes Castle
4 miles west of Barnard Castle in the village of Bowes is Bowes Castle. These
are impressive ruins of a 12th Century Keep from the reign of Henry II. The keep was built on the site of a Roman Fort which strategically guarded Stainmore Pass from invasion. This is another site owned by English Heritage but like Egglestone Abbey it is free to enter and explore. There is no parking at the Castle so park responsibly in Bowes Village and walk down the lane to Castle.
Mainsgill Farm Shop
Located near East Layton on the A66 Mainsgill Farm Shop has become a destination in itself. The farm shop has grown massively in recent years and is now a key rest place on the A66. From the road you are greeted by camels, llamas and sheep. The Farm Shop now boasts a butchery, food hall, tea room, clothing and gifts as well as still being a traditional working farm. The food hall is packed full of local produce from the Yorkshire Dales and beyond.
We stopped around 10am on a Sunday morning and the tea room was already very busy. Needing a Sunday 
morning treat before tackling some castle and abbey ruins we were attracted to the Cream Scone Special. For £4.50 we were served a home-made fruit scone, jam, whipped cream, fresh strawberries and a pot of tea or filter coffee. The scone was fresh, light and crumbly and served with lashings of whipped cream. Personally I felt there should have been a larger portion of jam and a bit less cream, nevertheless it was delicious. Do note that you order your food at a counter first, then are shown where to sit and then you pay at a different counter when you leave. Consequently the system is a little confusing as naturally you want to sit down and peruse the menu but it does work and service is fast. The fact that the place is always busy speaks for itself.